Optus CEO: Australia not racist

Optus chief executive Paul O'Sullivan today disagreed with former Telstra boss Sol Trujillo's remarks that Australia was backward and racist.

Speaking at a Trans-Tasman Business Circle lunch today, O'Sullivan, who described himself as a "proud Australian", said he "could not disagree more strongly" with Trujillo's recent remarks.

"This is the most egalitarian, inclusive and dynamic society I have lived in — an experience reinforced by my frequent travel to the USA on business," the Irish-born Australian said, joining fellow Irish-born Australian, Qantas chief Alan Joyce.

However, when asked by media about Trujillo's performance as Telstra's leader, O'Sullivan declined to share his opinion.

"I don't think it's appropriate for me to judge a colleague. I think the market does that... Second, I think we get too caught up in personalities in the industry," he said.

But the rules of engagement did not extend to the issue of executive remuneration. "It's kind of strange to be introduced as the longest-lasting CEO in the sector. Sadly I won't be introduced as the best ever remunerated CEO in the sector. We may do a satellite link later for that one," he said.

At the opening of his speech, he reminisced that the last time he spoke at the Trans-Tasman in 2005 was when Trujillo had proposed to the government that Telstra build the NBN; or as an Optus colleague had told him, when Trujillo was "around $4 million into his tenure with around $20 million to go".